Desk construction



Oct. 10, 1967 w. w. BEARS DESK CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April4, 1966 ocr. 1o, 1967 w. w. BEARS 3,346,311

DESK CONSTRUCTION Filed April 4, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 10, 1967 w.w. BEARS DESK CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed April 4, 1966 UnitedStates Patent C 3,346,311 DESK CONSTRUCTION Waldo Whitman Bears, 33Little Spring Run, Fairport, N.Y. 14450 Filed Apr. 4, 1966, Ser. No.539,770 8 Claims. (Cl. 312--195) This invention .relates to an improvedconstruction of a desk, and more particularly a desk made mainly ofmetal capable of being constructed in modular units.

The assembled desk of the present invention is assembled from a selectednumber of subassemblies or units, such for example as one top assembly,two end frames, one back panel, one front apron bar, and either one ortwo lpedestal units or assemblies, depending upon the requirements ofthe customer. In addition to having a choice as to whether one or twopedestals are to be used, there is also a choice as to whether eachpedestal shall be in the form of merely a storage cabinet, `or athree-drawer pedestal (three drawers of approximately equal depth), or atwo-drawer pedestal (one shallow drawer and one deep drawer), or anyother desired interior arrangement of pedestal for which prefabricatedunits are available. Thus, it is seen that when the dealer ordistributor carries in stock an assortment of pedestals, together with asupply of the other units or subassemblies above-mentioned, he canassemble a desk according to the particular requirements of thecustomer, so that many styles of desks are available from a relativelysimple stock of subassemblies, and it is not necessary for the dealer tocarry a large number of different kinds of desks in stock.

An object of the invention is the provision of a generally improved andmore satisfactory desk construction.

Another object is the provision of an improved desk made up of modularunits which can be carried in stock by a distributor or dealer and whichcan be assembled in various combinations, to meet the individualrequirements of the customer.

Still another object is the provision of a desk so designed that theindividual units or parts of the complete desk may be easily and quicklyassembled to each other.

A further object is the provision of a desk so designed that the variousprefabricated units which make up the complete desk are rmly and rigidlyanchored to each other by a relatively simple assembly operation.

These and other desirable objects may be attained in the mannerdisclosed as an illustrative embodiment of the invention in thefollowing description and in the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of `one style of desk which may beassembled :from the modular units within the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing another style thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing still another style thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-section taken transversely through thedesk, illustrating particularly the details of the way in which theunits are assembled to each other;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded and enlarged perspective view illustratingcertain details of the end frame assembly at a front corner thereof, andthe connection thereof to one end of the front apron bar;

FIGURE 6 is a similar perspective view to FIGURE 5, illustrating theconnection of a rear corner of an end frame assembly to an upper cornerof a back panel;

ice

FIGURE 7 is a similar perspective view to FIGURE 5, illustrating theconnection of an end frame assembly to a lower corner of the back panel;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating certain detailsof the construction, particularly with reference to a pivoted stopmember;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary and somewhat schematic section takenapproximately on the line 9 9 of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE l0 is a bottom view illustrating the way in which the bottom of apedestal unit is anchored to the adjacent end frame.

To illustrate the ilexibility of the arrangement of the invention at theoutset in comparative fashion, FIGURE 1 shows a desk with two pedestals,the left one being a threedrawer unit and the right one being atwo-drawer unit; FIGURE 2 illustrates a desk with only a single pedestalat the left end of the desk, which in this instance is shown as athree-drawer unit, but could as well be a two-drawer unit, or a simplestorage cabinet; and FIGURE 3 illustrates a desk with a single pedestalat the right hand end of the desk, which pedestal again could be athree-drawer unit as illustrated, or a two drawer unit or a storagecabinet.

Referring now to the other views, the desk assembly comprises two endframe units, which may be identical` with each other. Each of theseunits is constructed mainly of hollow metal tubing, preferably of squarecross-section, the parts being rigidly welded to each other. Each endframe unit has two upright legs 21, a top cross rail 23, and a lowercross rail 25 at such elevation that the bottom face of the lower crossrail 25 will be ilush with the bottom face of the pedestal unit to beinstalled in the assembly.

At the top of each leg 21, in one face thereof (the face which is facedinwardly toward the center of the desk, when the parts are assembled)there is a slot 27 extending vertically downwardly a short distance fromthe upper end of the leg, and open at the top, as seen in FIGURES 5 and6. Further down the same face of each leg 21, at an elevation slightlyabove that of the lower cross rail 25, is another vertical slot 29 (seeFIGURE 7) of keyhole shape, the enlarged part of the slot being at thetop.

Extending across from the top front corner of one end frame to the topfront corner of the other end frame (that is, lengthwise of the desk) isa strengthening bar or frame bar sometimes called a front apron bar.This is conveniently of channel shape, and is illustrated at 31 inFIGURES 4, 5 and 8. Each end of the bar 31 is fastened to its adjacentleg 21 by means .of a headed stud 33, the shank of which extends throughthe slot 27 at the upper end of the front leg 21, while the enlarged-head of the stud is inside the hollow leg 21 and is too large to passthrough the slot 27. The shank of the stud is threaded, and a nut 35thereon draws against a cross wall 37 at one end of a channel shapedreinforcing insert 39 welded into the bar 31.

The rear legs 21 of the two frames are connected to each other by theback panel assembly which comprises the at panel portion 41 having endflanges 43 'bent forwardly, as seen in FIGURE 6. At each top corner, areinforcing angle bracket 45 is welded in place. A stud 47, similar tothe previously described stud 33, has its shank extending through theslot 27 and through a hole formed through the bracket 45 and flange 43,so that the enlarged head of the stud is inside the rear leg 21 of thend frame. The nut 49 is tightened to draw the parts t0- gether. Asimilar arrangement comprising a stud 51 and nut 53 is mounted near thebottom of the end llange 43 of the back panel, and engages in the lowerslot 29 of the rear leg 21 of each end frame, to connect the back panelnear its lower corners to the end frames. The back panel assembly alsoincludes a finishing flange portion 57 (FIG- URES 4 and 6) ofapproximately square cross section, but partly open at the bottom,extending lengthwise along the top edge of the panel 41 through most ofits length, but cut off at each end to allow space for access to the nut49. The cross-sectional size of this tubular flange 57 is the same asthat of the front apron bar 31. Another finishing flange 59 extendsforwardly at the bottom edge of the back panel 41, as seen in FIGURE 4,preferably at an elevation just below and snugly against the bottom edgeof the pedestal unit further described below.

Each pedestal unit is of the same exterior dimensions,

Vand is basically a rectangular sheet metal box or parallelepipedindicated in general at 61. The interior arrangement of partitions orshelves and door, if it is to form a storage cabinet, or of drawers andtheir runways, if it is a drawer unit, is entirely conventional and thedetails thereof Iare not important for purposes of the present in-Vention, so are not illustrated. It is sufcent to say that any desiredinterior arrangement of the rectangular box 61 may be employed.

The vertical dimension or height of each pedestal unit 61 is such thatit ts snugly in the vertical space between the bottom edge of the flange57 at the top of the back panel 41, and the top surface of the llange 59at the bottom of the back panel. Welded to the top wall of each pedestalunit 61 are a pair of Z-bars 63, best seen in FIGURES 4 and 8, whichextend par-allel to the front and rear edges of the pedestal unit, r inother words lengthwise of the assembled desk, and crosswise of thepedestal unit. The bottom flange of each Z-bar 63 is Welded to the topwall of the pedestal unit 61, and the top flange, spaced somewhatupwardly from the top wall of the pedestal unit, engages'snugly on topof the bottom flange of -a channel mem-ber 65, the top flange of whichis secured to the bottom face of the desk top assembly.

The desk top assembly comprises a rectangular sheet metal plate 71 withdownturned flanges 73 around all four sides, and a core or filling 75such as wood or plywood Vor composition, the bottom face of which isflush with the bottom edges of the side flanges 73. The yabove-mentionedchannels 65 are fastened to the bottom face of the core or filling 75 byany suitable means such as screws or other fasteners. It will be notedespecially from FIGURE 4 that the channels 65 are placed in suchpositions on the undersurface of the desk top panel that the verticalilanges of these channels fit snugly between the vertical front wall Yof the ange 57 on the back panel member, near the rear edge of the desk,and the vertical rear Vwall of the front apron'bar 31 at the front ofthe desk.

It is pointed out that the channels 65 do not extend continuously fromone end to the other of the desk, but

are omitted in the central part or knee space of the desk, the channelsbeing located only over the locations where the pedestals will be,whenvtwo pedestals are installed at opposite ends of the desk. Since theknee space between the pedestals is -wider than the width of eachpedestal (in a direction lengthwise of the desk) -as plainly seen inFIGURE 1, it follows that a pedestal to be installed in Y the desk canbe located initially in the knee space, then the Z-bars 63 of thepedestal can be lined up with the channels 65, and the pedestal can thenbe moved in a direction lengthwise of the desk toward the corner whereit is to be located. When moved to the home position or final assemblyposition by sliding it lengthwise along the desk, the pedestal may beheld in such position by the latches shown in FIGURES 9 and 10.

face of the bottom cross bar 25 of the adjacent end frame, and adaptedto be swung from the broken line position shown in FIGURE l() to thefull line position, where a notch in the latch member 81 engages theshank of a thumb screw 85 screwed into a tapped opening formed in thebottom wall of the pedestal unit 61 and in a reinforcing plate 87 weldedto such bottom wall. When the thumb screw 85 is tightened, the latch 81holds the pedestal unit from being displaced in a direction toward thecenter of the desk from its intended corner location. Y

In addition to the pivoted latch 81 at the bottom of the pedestal unit,for holding it in assembled position, there are preferably also twopivoted latches at the top of each pedestal unit, one near the front andone near the back, cooperating with the Z-bars 63. These latches are inthe form of Z-shaped members indicated in general at 91 (see FIGURES 8and 9) each having a horizontal top ilange 91a pivoted on the pivot 93to the top flange of the channel 65. Another flange 91b of the latchmember 91 extends vertically downwardly, yand terminates in anotherhorizontal bottom llange 91C constituting a handle to be grasped so asto turn the Z-shaped latch member 91 on its pivot. When swung aside fromthe position shown in FIGURE 8 to the broken line position of FIGURE 9,it does not interfere with the assembly or disassembly movement of thepedestal, sliding it along the channels 65. When assembly is completed,the handle portion 91el of the latch 91 is grasped and it is swung onthe pivot 93 so that the vertical flange portion 91b of the latch slidesinto a notch 95 in the lower ilange of the channel 65 and extends acrossthe end of the Z-bar 63 closest to the center of the desk, engagingtightly with the Z-bar to prevent movement of the pedestal unit towardthe center of the desk.

Secured to the top rail 23 of each end frame, on the side thereof facedtoward the center of the desk, is a channel member 101, extendinghorizontally along the member 23 as seen in FIGURES 4 and 5. Thevertical flange or wall of this channel member is secured to thevertical side of the member 23 by any suitable means such as welding orscrews. A bottom horizontal flange of the channel member overlies snuglythe adjacent part of the upper surface of the pedestal member 61. Theupper horizontal flange of the channel member 101 is tlush with the topsurface of the member 23 of the end frame, and thus, like the member 23,makes contact with the lower surface of the desk top panel. The desk toppanel has, near each end, in a position close to the edge of the topflange of the channel 101, a pair of pivoted cleats or buttons 103(FIGURE 4) which when turned to one position will clear the edge of thechannel 101, and when turned to another position at right angles to thefirst position, will tightly underlie the top flange of the channel 101,thus anchoring the desk top panel to the flange 101 and thereby to theend assembly, in addition'to the other anchoring means described.

With this construction as above described, the distributor or dealer maystockY a limited number of subassemblies or units, from which a varietyof desks may be quickly and easily assembled when needed. Moreover, whena desk of particular kind has been assembled,

the parts are anchored quite rigidly to each other, so that theresulting linal desk is extremely sturdy and rigid.

A typical assembly operation may be fusion as to the terms top andbottom and the like, the assembly operation will be described as thoughthe desk were assembled right side up. Y Y

Two end frame units are first connected to each other by means of theapron bar 31 at the front, and the back panel 41 at the rear, extendingbetween the two end briefly outlined.` It is usually easier to assemblethe desk in'an upside-Y down position, and then turn it right side upwhen assembly has been completed, butto avoid possible con` *semenframes. The connecting studs are placed through the respective slots 27and 29 andthe respective nuts are tightened, completing the assembly ofthe end frames to the longitudinalkmembers 31 and 41. The top panel 71,73,r 75 is placed in position and secured by turning thev buttons orcleats 103 at right angles to their initial positions. It will beremembered that when the top panel is assembled to the previoussubassembly consisting of end frames and longitudinal members, thechannels 65 on the top panel t snugly between the front longitudinalmember 31 and the rear longitudinal member 57 on the panel 41.

If it is now desired to have a pedestal 61 at the left end of the desk,the proper pedestal unit of the desired design is selected, and isinitially placed near the center of the desk (in what may be called theknee space) until the Z-bars 63 on the pedestal unit are lined up withthe channels 65 on the desk top panel; then the pedestal unit is slidsideways toward the left end of the desk, interlocking the Z-bars withthe channels. When the pedestal unit is slid to its final home position,it is maintained in such position by swinging the pivoted latch 81 toits effective position and tightening the thumb screw 85; also byswinging the pivoted latches 91 on their pivots 93, so that they engagewith the ends of the Z-bars 63 and prevent the pedestal unit from beingslid back toward the center of the desk. The assembled pedestal unit nowlls the left hand corner of the desk frame.

If a pedestal unit is desired at the right hand end of the desk, thedesired unit is selected, and it may be of the same design or differentdesign from the pedestal unit used at the left end. In either event, theoutside dimensions are the same, as above explained, and the pedestalunit is assembled in a manner similar to that already described for theleft hand unit. That is, it is inserted first in a position at thecenter of the desk, then slid rightwardly toward the right hand corner,interlocking the Z-bars 63 of this pedestal unit with the channelmembers 65 on the desk top panel. The unit is fastened in place in thesame manner as the left hand unit, by using the pivoted latch 81 at thebottom and pivoted latches 91 at the top.

If it is desired to have a desk With no back panel, the 4back panel 41,43, etc., is omitted, and in place of it, an apron bar is used,identical with the front apron bar 31 above described. This is fastenedto the top rear corners of the end frames, just as the apron bar 31 isfastened to the top lfront corners. Another rear apron bar of the sameconstruction may be placed at a lower elevation between the end frames,held by bolts engaged with the keyhole slots 29, if desired.

In the final assembly, it is seen that vertical movement of theassembled parts relative to each other is impossible because the apronbar 31 at the front edge, and the similar apron bar or the bent ange 59at the rear edge, are snugly retained in a vertical direction betweenthe top panel which overlies these members, and the upper face of thepedestal 61 which underlies these members. Moreover, the top panelcannot move upwardly relative to the end frames because of theinterengagement of the Z-bars 63 on the pedestal units with the channels65 on the top panel unit, which ties the top panel to the pedestal, andthe pedestal in turn cannot move upwardly relative to the end framebecause it underlies the channel 101 on the end frame. Also, even at anend of the desk where no pedestal is used, the top panel cannot moveupwardly relative to the end frame because of the buttons or cleats 103engaging the channel 101. The top panel cannot move forwardly orrearwardly relative to the end frames because of the snug fit of thechannels 65 against the members 31 and 57, and it cannot move endwisebecause the outer ends of these same channels 65 t snugly against thefaces of the top bars 23 of the end frames. Hence a very rigidconstruction is provided, firmly fastening all parts together, butnevertheless enabling the desk to be disassembled when necessary, by areverse procedure to the assembly procedure above described anddisclosed.

It is seen from the foregoing disclosed specification that the objects,advantages and purposes of the invention are well fulfilled. It is to beunderstood that the foregoing disclosure of invention is given by way ofillustrative example only, rather than by way of limitation, and thatwithout departing from the invention, the details may be varied withinthe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A desk structure comprising a pair of end frames, a top unit restingon and supported by said end frames, a pedestal unit in a corner betweensaid top unit and one of said end frames, a portion on said one of saidend frames overlying said pedestal unit to prevent upward movement ofsaid pedestal unit relative to said one of said end frames, and aportion on said pedestal unit overlying a portion of said top unit toprevent upward movement of said top unit relative to said pedestal unit,thereby also preventing upward movement of said top unit relative tosaid one of said end frames.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, in which portions on said topunit and pedestal unit comprises a channel on one of said units and aZ-bar on the other of said units.

3. The construction as defined in claim 1, in which means formingguideways are provided on the underside of said top unit near each endthereof, said guideways eX- tending in -a direction lengthwise of thedesk structure and being so placed that there is a substantial gapbetween the adjacent ends of the guideways near one end of the deskstructure and those near the other end thereof, the parts being soarranged that said pedestal unit may be placed substantially against theunderside of said top unit centrally thereof, with the guideways of saidpedestal unit aligned with the guideways of the top unit in said gap,and then may be moved along the guideways of the top unit toward one endof the desk structure to a final assembled position.

4. A construction as defined in claim 3, further including latch meansfor latching said pedestal unit, when in final assembled position, tothe adjacent end frame.

5. A construction as defined in claim 3, further including means mountedon said top unit for holding said pedestal unit, when in final assembledposition, against movement along said guideway on said top unit in adirection toward the center of said desk structure.

6. A construction -as defined in claim 3, wherein the guideway on saidpedestal unit is tightly engaged with the guideway on the top unit, whenin final assembled position, to prevent vertical separation movements ofsaid two units relative to each other, said construction furtherincluding a part on said pedestal unit underlying a part on the adjacentend frame to prevent upward movement of said units relative to said endframe.

7. A construction as defined in claim 6, further including interengagingslidable guideway means on said pedestal unit and said top unit soarranged that said pedestal unit may be mounted in hanging relation tosaid top unit by a sliding motion approximately horizontally in adirection toward the end of thed esk where it is to be mounted and maybe detached from said top unit by a sliding motion in a reversedirection toward the opposite end of the desk.

8. The construction as defined in claim 3 wherein at least two pedestalunits each have at its top two horizontal flanges for engaging withhorizontal bottom flanges at one end of said top unit so that eachpedetal unit may be hung from said top unit, each pedestal unit beingsnugly engaged beneath said second horizontal ilange of the adjacent endframe unit, and means holding each 7 pedestal unit against movement in adirection horizontally away from the adjacent end frame unit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson v312--221 Baio 312-257Knoll 312--1974 X Stark 312-195 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

1. A DESK STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF END FRAMES, A TOP UNIT RESTINGON AND SUPPORTED BY SAID END FRAMES, A PEDESTAL UNIT IN A CORNER BETWEENSAID TOP UNIT AND ONE OF SAID END FRAMES, A PORTION ON SAID ONE OF SAIDEND FRAMES OVERLYING SAID PEDESTAL UNIT TO PREVENT UPWARD MOVEMENT OFSAID PEDESTAL UNIT RELATIVE TO SAID ONE OF SAID END FRAMES, AND APORTION ON SAID PEDESTAL UNIT OVERLYING A PORTION OF SAID TOP UNIT TOPREVENT UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID TOP UNIT RELATIVE TO SAID PEDESTAL UNIT,THEREBY ALSO PREVENTING UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID TOP UNIT RELATIVE TOSAID ONE OF SAID END FRAMES.